meret oppenheim basel 2657245

A new exhibition at Hauser & Wirth's Basel location, timed to Art Basel, reexamines the legacy of Swiss artist Meret Oppenheim, 40 years after her death. The show aims to move beyond her famous 1936 work *Object (Breakfast in Fur)*, presenting the full breadth of her practice across sculpture, painting, readymades, and wearable art. Curated by Josef Helfenstein, the exhibition positions Oppenheim as a multifaceted artist who resisted the labels of Surrealist muse and pop star, highlighting her irreverent, medium-defying approach.

donald locke spike island exhibition review 1234748211

A major survey of Donald Locke's work, titled "Resistant Forms," has opened at Spike Island in Bristol, England, in collaboration with Ikon Gallery in Birmingham and Camden Art Centre in London. Featuring over 80 works spanning five decades, the exhibition includes early biomorphic ceramics, monochromatic black paintings from the 1970s, collage paintings, mixed-media sculptures, and personal writings and photographs. Highlights include the black paintings series addressing colonial subjugation, such as "The Cage" (1976–79), and later whimsical works like "Reconstructed Bottle with Pearls #11 (Pearls for Mahalia)" (2008). The show traces Locke's journey from his birth in Guyana, his time in the UK as part of the Windrush Generation, and his eventual move to the US, where he lived until his death in 2010.

abstract artist rosemarie beck van doren waxter 2568826

Rosemarie Beck, a once-promising abstract painter celebrated in the 1940s and 1950s by the Whitney Museum and mentored by Robert Motherwell, abandoned abstraction in 1958 to pursue figuration. Despite early success and shows at prestigious venues like the Stable Gallery, her shift to mythological and literary themes caused her to fade from art historical memory. A new exhibition, "Rosemarie Beck: Earthly Paradise," at Van Doren Waxter in New York, showcases over 25 figurative works from 1959 to 2000, marking a major reappraisal of her career.

The 5 Best Booths at Frieze New York 2026

Frieze New York 2026 opened its VIP day at The Shed on May 13, following the Venice Biennale's opening week. Now in its 15th edition, the fair anchors New York Art Week, a series of concurrent fairs, gallery openings, auctions, and parties that take over the city each May. The article highlights the five best booths at the fair, curated by Artsy Editorial.

Art Events May You Cannot Miss in London

An Artlyst guide highlights several major art exhibitions opening in London in May 2026. Key shows include 'Zurbarán' at the National Gallery (the UK's first major monographic exhibition of the Spanish master in over 30 years), 'Rising Voices: Contemporary Art from Asia, Australia and the Pacific' at the V&A (a collaboration with QAGOMA featuring 40 artists), a James McNeill Whistler retrospective at Tate Britain (the first major European show in 30 years), and 'Winston Churchill: The Painter' at the Wallace Collection. Photo London is also moving to Olympia this year.

16th Gwangju Biennale announces theme

The 16th Gwangju Biennale has revealed its theme, 'You must change your life,' a line from Rainer Maria Rilke's poem 'Archaic Torso of Apollo.' Artistic director Ho Tzu Nyen and curators Che Kyongfa, Park Gahee, and Brian Kuan Wood will lead an edition focused on art's transformative power during a time of multiple crises. The exhibition, running from September 5 to November 15, will feature the smallest number of artists in the biennale's history, emphasizing intensity over accumulation and tracking the evolution of individual artistic practices.

art basel best of art guide

Cultured's "Art Basel Best of Art Guide" highlights key exhibitions and events in and around Basel, Switzerland, during the summer art season. Featured shows include Jordan Wolfson's VR installation "Little Room" at Fondation Beyeler, a Medardo Rosso retrospective at Kunstmuseum Basel, a Meret Oppenheim showcase at Hauser & Wirth, the second annual "Air Service Basel 2025" group show at Lo Brutto Stahl, Suzanne Lacy's video installation "By Your Own Hand" at Museum Tinguely, and works by Ser Serpas. The guide provides practical details such as dates, locations, and insider tips for each exhibition.

empire of sleep musee marmottan monet 2740426

The Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris has opened a new exhibition titled "The Empire of Sleep," curated by neurologist Laura Bossi and museum director Sylvie Carlier. The show gathers 130 artworks from the 19th and 20th centuries, exploring how artists have depicted sleep, dreams, nightmares, and the bed as a site of birth, love, illness, and death. Featured artists include John Everett Millais, Eugène Delacroix, Jean Cocteau, Giovanni Bellini, Gabriel von Max, Evelyn De Morgan, Odilon Redon, Gustave Courbet, Francisco de Goya, and Claude Monet, whose painting *Camille on Her Deathbed* is a centerpiece.

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The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum will reopen its newly renovated Flight and Arts Center in July 2026 with a major exhibition devoted to Robert Rauschenberg. Titled “The Ascent of Rauschenberg: Reinventing the Art of Flight,” the show features 30 works by the American Pop artist, some never before exhibited, tracing how aviation and space exploration themes permeated his six-decade career. Highlights include his lithograph *Sky Garden (Stoned Moon)*, inspired by the Apollo 11 mission, and works from his “Combines” series. The exhibition draws loans from the Hirshhorn Museum, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Gallery of Art, and the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation.

5 essential old masters shows for 2026 2735391

Artnet News has published a preview of five essential Old Masters exhibitions scheduled for 2026, spanning museums from Amsterdam to New York. The shows include a blockbuster presentation of Ovid's *Metamorphoses* at the Rijksmuseum and Galleria Borghese, a monographic survey of Swedish sculptor Johan Tobias Sergel at the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm and the Morgan Library & Museum in New York, and other exhibitions that connect classical art with contemporary appeal. The article highlights how these exhibitions spotlight both household names like Raphael and lesser-known figures, while also exploring themes from Ovid's myths to tarot imagery.

The 10 Exhibitions to See in June 2025

The article highlights 10 exhibitions to see in June 2025, curated by editors. Key shows include the Serpentine Pavilion in London, designed by Dhaka-based architect Marina Tabassum, titled "A Capsule in Time" (6 June–26 October), a semi-open wooden structure inspired by South Asian tent designs that engages with light and public activation. Another featured exhibition is Hiền Hoàng's "Garden of Entanglement" at FOAM Amsterdam (6 June–ongoing), presenting works that explore trauma's imprint on human bodies and nature, including a soundscape installation developed with scientists and a VR piece on the Agarwood tree.

'You Must Change Your Life' at GRIMM, New York, United States on 26 Jun–7 Aug 2026

GRIMM gallery in New York presents "You Must Change Your Life," a group exhibition curated by Tom Morton, running from June 26 to August 7, 2026. The show features an international roster of painters and sculptors including Alexander Tovborg, Elinor Stanley, Sophie Ruigrok, Sara Rossberg, Jhonatan Pulido, Ken Kiff, Matthew Day Jackson, Ted Gahl, Gabriella Boyd, Anderson Borba, Kinga Bartis, Mahesh Baliga, and Charles Avery. The exhibition takes its title from the final line of Rainer Maria Rilke's poem "Archaic Torso of Apollo" (1918), exploring themes of how the past speaks to the present, the animation of materials, the fragment as synecdoche, and the transformative power of visual contemplation.

A Titanic Face-to-Face Brings Together the Vibrant Bodies of Rodin and Michelangelo at the Louvre

Un face-à-face titanesque réunit les corps vibrants de Rodin et Michel-Ange au Louvre

The Louvre has mounted an exhibition that places the works of Auguste Rodin in direct dialogue with those of Michelangelo, focusing on the profound influence of the Renaissance master on the 19th-century sculptor. Key sculptures like Rodin's 'Adam' and 'The Age of Bronze' are juxtaposed with Michelangelo's 'Dying Slave' and 'Rebellious Slave', highlighting shared themes of contorted male forms and masterful use of contrapposto.

Sara Shamma on Representing Syria at the 61st Venice Biennale

Sara Shamma will represent Syria at the 61st Venice Biennale (2026) with a large-scale immersive installation titled *The Tower Tomb of Palmyra*. The 15-meter-high multisensory work combines painting, architecture, light, sound, and scent, inspired by the ancient funerary towers of Palmyra that were destroyed during the Syrian War. Shamma describes the piece as a reflection on loss, resilience, and cultural memory, and notes its resonance with the Biennale's theme, *In Minor Keys*, curated by Koyo Kouoh.

Inspiration awaits at the Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney

The Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW) has solidified its status as a premier global cultural destination following the completion of its Sydney Modern Project. The institution now comprises two distinct architectural landmarks: the historic Naala Nura (South Building) and the contemporary Naala Badu (North Building), designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects SANAA. These new Aboriginal names, meaning "seeing Country" and "seeing waters," reflect a deep institutional commitment to Indigenous engagement and the gallery's unique geographic position overlooking Sydney Harbour.

Le Louvre choisit son entrée côté colonnade

Le Louvre has selected a joint proposal by Studios Architecture Paris and Selldorf Architects for its new entrance via the Perrault colonnade, part of the 'Louvre Nouvelle Renaissance' plan. The project, announced by Emmanuel Macron on January 28, 2025, aims to create a new eastern access to relieve overcrowding at the Pyramid, with two underground entrances, vegetated moats, new services, and a dedicated space for the Mona Lisa. The selection was announced by Culture Minister Catherine Pégard on May 18, despite controversies over funding, heritage constraints, a theft in the Galerie d'Apollon on October 19, 2025, and the departure of museum president Laurence des Cars.

New York’s Studio Museum—known for championing Black artists—reopens in $300m new home

The Studio Museum in Harlem will reopen on November 15 after a seven-year closure, unveiling a new $300 million, 82,000-square-foot building designed by Adjaye Associates and Cooper Robertson. The first purpose-built space in the museum's 57-year history, located at its original footprint on West 125th Street, features a dramatic dark-grey precast-concrete facade and includes a $50 million endowment. The reopening comes after architect David Adjaye stepped away from the project in 2023 following sexual assault allegations, which he denies. The inaugural exhibition will highlight works by Tom Lloyd, the first artist shown when the museum opened in 1968.

Daegu Photo Biennale tackles the Anthropocene

The Daegu Photo Biennale in South Korea, now in its 10th edition, tackles the Anthropocene through the lens of symbiosis, featuring three main exhibitions: 'The Pulse of Life', 'The Origin of the World', and a solo show by Rinko Kawauchi titled 'M/E On this Sphere Endlessly Interlinking'. Artistic director Emmanuelle de l’Ecotais, a former curator at Centre Pompidou and Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris, leads the biennale, which includes 80 artists in the main exhibition and 75 in the special exhibition, alongside emerging artist showcases, a symposium, a photobook exhibition, and a portfolio review, all spread across 4,000 square meters at the Daegu Culture and Arts Center.

Legendary Looks: My Ballroom Story Felix Rodriguez

Filmmaker Felix Rodriguez's archival work is featured in "Legendary Looks: My Ballroom Story," a multi-site exhibition running across Pioneer Works, ArtsWestchester, and City Lore throughout summer 2025. Co-curated by prominent ballroom leaders Jonovia Chase Lanvin, Twiggy Pucci Garçon, and Michael Roberson Maison-Margiela, the exhibition explores the artistry and cultural legacy of the house ballroom community. Rodriguez has documented this community since 1991, amassing an encyclopedic archive of New York's ballroom figures, and his multimedia installation at Pioneer Works highlights the role of commentators who live-narrate balls, presented along a red carpet evoking ball runways.

Daniel Roseberry plays tour guide at V&A Museum’s Schiaparelli exhibit

Creative director Daniel Roseberry led an intimate tour of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s landmark exhibition, "Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art," which opened in London on March 28, 2026. The retrospective features over 400 objects, ranging from Elsa Schiaparelli’s 1927 trompe l’oeil sweaters and the 1938 Skeleton Dress to Roseberry’s contemporary surrealist designs. During the walkthrough with British Vogue, Roseberry highlighted the historical continuity between the house’s archival disruption and his modern innovations like the hand-painted puzzle dress.

Artist Tammy Nguyen’s New Show Finds Heaven on Earth

Artist Tammy Nguyen presents her new exhibition "A Comedy for Mortals: Paradiso" at Lehmann Maupin New York, running from June 5 to August 15. The show is the final installment of a three-part series inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy, following earlier presentations in Seoul (Inferno) and London (Purgatory). Nguyen, a 40-year-old painter, professor at Wesleyan, and founder of Passenger Pigeon Press, creates dense, polymathic canvases that weave together imagery from Dante's celestial journey with contemporary references, including Frankenstein, President Eisenhower's military-industrial complex warning, and drones. The exhibition explores paradise as a journey of endless knowledge, while also delving into darker historical events like the 1815 Mount Tambora eruption.

design salon art fair new york guide

Salon Art + Design returns to the Park Avenue Armory in New York for its 14th edition, running from November 6–10. The fair features nearly 50 booths from top international dealers, blending antique discoveries with contemporary masterpieces, and uniquely juxtaposes fine jewelry, mid-century furniture, and ancient relics. Members of the fair's Design + Art Advisory Council—including interior designer Andre Mellone, photographer Douglas Friedman, creative director Gabriella Khalil, and others—share the specific treasures they are most excited to see, such as Jean Royère nesting tables, a Fernando Jorge jewelry piece, and a Head of Apollo sculpture from Ariadne.

The Cost of Love: Rugby Art Museum and Gallery presents joint exhibition by artists Charlie Kirkham and Robert Walker

Artists Charlie Kirkham and Robert Walker are set to debut a joint exhibition titled "The Cost of Love" at the Rugby Art Gallery and Museum this May. The showcase features contemporary paintings that reimagine classical mythological figures—such as Narcissus, Apollo, and Adonis—to explore psychological themes of desire, transformation, and vulnerability. While both artists maintain a focus on technical rigor and the human figure, the works shift away from traditional storytelling to focus on the emotional tensions of modern life.

Embodying Code: Artist Alida Sun and the physical craft of code art

Berlin-based artist Alida Sun has reached a milestone of 2,500 consecutive days of creating digital art, using a custom-built system that translates physical movement into light and sound. Her recent exhibition, "RITES" at Method Delhi, bridges the gap between digital code and physical craft by transforming her generative algorithms into hand-woven tapestries. This collaboration with women artisans from the Swami Sivananda Memorial Institute of Fine Arts & Crafts (SSMI) highlights the historical and technical links between textile weaving and computer programming.